1 Now it came to pass1961 in the fourteenth702 6240 year8141 of king4428 Hezekiah,2396 that Sennacherib5576 king4428 of Assyria804 came up5927 against5921 all3605 the defensed1219 cities5892 of Judah,3063 and took8610 them.

2 And the king4428 of Assyria804 sent7971 853 Rab-shakeh7262 from Lachish4480 3923 to Jerusalem3389 unto413 king4428 Hezekiah2396 with a great3515 army.2428 And he stood5975 by the conduit8585 of the upper5945 pool1295 in the highway4546 of the fuller's3526 field.7704

3 Then came forth3318 unto413 him Eliakim,471 Hilkiah's2518 son,1121 which834 was over5921 the house,1004 and Shebna7644 the scribe,5608 and Joah,3098 Asaph's623 son,1121 the recorder.2142

4 And Rab-shakeh7262 said559 unto413 them, Say559 ye now4994 to413 Hezekiah,2396 Thus3541 saith559 the great1419 king,4428 the king4428 of Assyria,804 What4100 confidence986 is this2088 wherein834 thou trustest?982

5 I say,559 sayest thou, (but389 they are but vain8193 words)1697 I have counsel6098 and strength1369 for war:4421 now6258 on5921 whom4310 dost thou trust,982 that3588 thou rebellest4775 against me?

6 Lo,2009 thou trustest982 in5921 the staff4938 of this2088 broken7533 reed,7070 on5921 Egypt;4714 whereon834 5921 if a man376 lean,5564 it will go935 into his hand,3709 and pierce5344 it: so3651 is Pharaoh6547 king4428 of Egypt4714 to all3605 that trust982 in5921 him.

7 But3588 if thou say559 to413 me, We trust982 in413 the LORD3068 our God:430 is it not3808 he,1931 853 whose834 high places1116 and whose altars4196 Hezekiah2396 hath taken away,5493 and said559 to Judah3063 and to Jerusalem,3389 Ye shall worship7812 before6440 this2088 altar?4196

8 Now6258 therefore give pledges,6149 I pray thee,4994 to854 my master113 the king4428 of Assyria,804 and I will give5414 thee two thousand505 horses,5483 if518 thou be able3201 on thy part to set5414 riders7392 upon5921 them.

9 How349 then wilt thou turn away7725 853 the face6440 of one259 captain6346 of the least6996 of my master's113 servants,5650 and put thy trust982 on5921 Egypt4714 for chariots7393 and for horsemen?6571

10 And am I now6258 come up5927 without4480 1107 the LORD3068 against5921 this2063 land776 to destroy7843 it? the LORD3068 said559 unto413 me, Go up5927 against413 this2063 land,776 and destroy7843 it.

11 Then said559 Eliakim471 and Shebna7644 and Joah3098 unto413 Rab-shakeh,7262 Speak,1696 I pray thee,4994 unto413 thy servants5650 in the Syrian language;762 for3588 we587 understand8085 it: and speak1696 not408 to413 us in the Jews' language,3066 in the ears241 of the people5971 that834 are on5921 the wall.2346

12 But Rab-shakeh7262 said,559 Hath my master113 sent7971 me to413 thy master113 and to413 thee to speak1696 853 these428 words?1697 hath he not3808 sent me to5921 the men376 that sit3427 upon5921 the wall,2346 that they may eat398 853 their own dung,6675 and drink8354 853 their own piss4325 7272 with5973 you?

13 Then Rab-shakeh7262 stood,5975 and cried7121 with a loud1419 voice6963 in the Jews' language,3066 and said,559 Hear8085 ye853 the words1697 of the great1419 king,4428 the king4428 of Assyria.804

14 Thus3541 saith559 the king,4428 Let not408 Hezekiah2396 deceive5377 you: for3588 he shall not3808 be able3201 to deliver5337 you.

15 Neither408 let Hezekiah2396 make you trust982 853 in413 the LORD,3068 saying,559 The LORD3068 will surely deliver5337 5337 us: this2063 city5892 shall not3808 be delivered5414 into the hand3027 of the king4428 of Assyria.804

16 Hearken8085 not408 to413 Hezekiah:2396 for3588 thus3541 saith559 the king4428 of Assyria,804 Make6213 an agreement with854 me by a present,1293 and come out3318 to413 me: and eat398 ye every one376 of his vine,1612 and every one376 of his fig tree,8384 and drink8354 ye every one376 the waters4325 of his own cistern;953

17 Until5704 I come935 and take you away3947 853 to413 a land776 like your own land,776 a land776 of corn1715 and wine,8492 a land776 of bread3899 and vineyards.3754

18 Beware lest6435 Hezekiah2396 persuade5496 you, saying,559 The LORD3068 will deliver5337 us. Hath any376 of the gods430 of the nations1471 delivered5337 853 his land776 out of the hand4480 3027 of the king4428 of Assyria?804

19 Where346 are the gods430 of Hamath2574 and Arphad?774 where346 are the gods430 of Sepharvaim?5617 and3588 have they delivered5337 853 Samaria8111 out of my hand?4480 3027

20 Who4310 are they among all3605 the gods430 of these428 lands,776 that834 have delivered5337 853 their land776 out of my hand,4480 3027 that3588 the LORD3068 should deliver5337 853 Jerusalem3389 out of my hand?4480 3027

21 But they held their peace,2790 and answered6030 him not3808 a word:1697 for3588 the king's4428 commandment4687 was, saying,559 Answer6030 him not.3808

22 Then came935 Eliakim,471 the son1121 of Hilkiah,2518 that834 was over5921 the household,1004 and Shebna7644 the scribe,5608 and Joah,3098 the son1121 of Asaph,623 the recorder,2142 to413 Hezekiah2396 with their clothes899 rent,7167 and told5046 him853 the words1697 of Rab-shakeh.7262